PELECANINiE. PHALACROCORAX. 
301 
of enormous capacity; pro ventricular belt generally discon- 
tinuous ; stomach very small, slightly muscular, epithelium 
smooth ; a globular pyloric lobe ; intestine very long and 
slender; coeca small, cyhndrical; cloaca globular. Trachea 
simple, flattened ; no inferior laryngeal muscles. 
GENUS I. PHALACROCORAX, Briss. CORMORANT. 
Bill about the length of the head, rather slender, nearly 
straight, compressed toward the end ; u|per mandible with 
the dorsal line concave, until on the unguis, where it is de- 
curved, the ridge convex, flattened toward the end, sepa- 
rated from the sides by a narrow groove, the sides convex, 
the edge sharp and nearly straight as far as the unguis, 
which is decurved, convex above, acute, its tip ascending far 
beyond that of the lower ; lower mandible with the angle 
long and very narrow towards the end, filled up by an ex- 
tensile membrane, which extends to the level of the angle 
of the mouth ; the outline of the crura very slightly convex, 
that of the terminal part descending and very slightly con- 
vex, the sides convex, the edges sharp and inflected, the tip 
compressed, with its marginal outline decurved. Nostrils 
obliterated (in youth open). Head rather small, oblong; neck 
long and rather thick ; body full, elongated, depressed. Feet 
short, stout, placed far behind ; tibia feathered in its whole 
length ; tarsus very short, strong, much depressed, covered 
aU round with angular scales ; a series on part of the inner 
side anteriorly, and another on the lower part of the outer, 
scutelliform. Toes all placed in the same plane, connected 
by webs, and covered above by very numerous oblique scu- 
tella ; first the smallest, fourth the longest. Claws rather 
small, strong, compressed, acute, convex above, arched, that 
of the third toe pectinated on its inner edge. Plumage soft, 
generally blended, compact on the back and wings ; the small 
gular sac, and the space before and beneath the eye, with 
the eyelids, bare. Wings of moderate size, broad ; prima- 
